All members of Iceland’s Eurovision delegation at Eurovision 2021 have been placed into quarantine after one of its delegates tested positive for COVID-19.
The EBU released a statement confirming Daði og Gagnamagnið will not attend this evening’s Turquoise Carpet event.
Iceland Eurovision delegation member tests positive for COVID-19
Full statement from the EBU:
“During a routine test on Sunday 16 May, a member of the Icelandic delegation tested positive for COVID-19.
In accordance with our strict health and safety protocol this person has now gone into isolation and as a precautionary measure, the other members of their delegation will also now undergo a PCR test and self-isolate.
Unfortunately, this means that the Icelandic delegation will now not attend the Turquoise Carpet event in person this afternoon (Sunday 16 May).
We will have further updates in due course and send our best wishes to the whole delegation.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 is taking place this year with the full support and assistance of the Dutch authorities. Our primary objective is to produce a fully COVID 19 safe event, and the health and welfare of all those taking part, working at the event or in the audience is our most important priority.
A range of strict measures, including isolation, social distancing and regular testing have been imposed on everyone on the advice of health professionals to ensure everyone’s safety.
We are deeply grateful for the support of the authorities in this, and to all the delegations, crew, venue staff and contractors for their willing co-operation to make sure the Contest can take place.”
It is currently unknown which member of the Icelandic delegation tested positive for the disease.
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Eurovision 2021: COVID-19 contingency plan
The EBU failed to comment on Daði og Gagnamagnið’s upcoming participation in the second semi-final on Thursday 20 May.
However, Eurovision Song Contest Executive Producer Sietse Bakker recently told NOS that in the event of a nation’s delegate testing positive, the act would be barred from performing on the Rotterdam Ahoy stage. Instead, they would have to resort to the live-on-tape recording that were filmed prior to travelling to The Netherlands.
Earlier this week, a member of Poland’s Eurovision delegation also tested positive for COVID-19. Again, the EBU did not comment on Rafał’s participation in Thursday’s semi-final. But soon after, Sweden’s Aftonbladet reported that Poland will use the recording of Rafał’s second on-stage rehearsal of “The Ride” rather than the live-on-tape backup recording.
News about the nature of Iceland’s participation is anticipated soon.
All of us at wiwibloggs send our best wishes to the Icelandic delegation and hope all of its members stay in good health over the course of their stay and beyond.
Really upset about the careless person (or people) in the delegations that are responsible for this. By now we all know you can’t get COVID by touching a dirty surface. They have to have been very careless for that to happen. As others say in the comments, how hard is it to wear your damn mask and refrain from having a party inside your hotel room? Considering all the privileges they have (fancy hotel rooms, easy access to masks and sanitary products, etc.), it really is disgusting. Especially when the selfish and irresponsible behaviour of one can put a lot… Read more »
People downvoting me on this must be really selfish too. So many people around the world, including in western countries, are still not able to protect themselves from this virus. Frontline workers whose jobs put them at risk every single day. Homeless people and people in poor communities who don’t have the luxury of social distancing because their living conditions don’t allow them to do so. The least privileged people can do is to follow the rules. Clearly here somebody didn’t. And it’s a shame, because they probably infected people who had no idea this person were putting them at… Read more »
It is not as easy as you say – in real life going to an event like this even doing such precautions cannot eliminate the risk. It is not a hospital and not even there you are 100% sure if not getting exposed.
You obviously have no idea how this spreads. No, masks are not a 100% protection. Even if delegations fulfil your wish of them becoming imprisoned for two weeks, they still have to meet dozens of people because they are working on a TV show. And during these encounters, some level of spread is pretty much guaranteed.
We’ve known for a long time that workplaces are one of largest sources of infection. Ahoy Arena is a workplace.
How is it fair that people can use a Rotterdam rehearsal video but Australia doesnt get the choice? I thought the deal was if you can’t make the show you show the live on tape? It was preplanned that way for fairness.
No I think it was preplanned for delegations unable to travel.
My understanding was that it was for people unable to perform in general. Either way, it still a competition. Wouldn’t it be more fair to rule that everyone uses either their live on tape or their live semi performance? You can’t make it totally even, but it at least gives consistency.
of course its sad but i am not even sorry about this situation. you come to eurovision and you know you have to be super careful and it still happens? well .. its just no.
They did vaccinate themselves before coming to Rotterdam ( the people in the band, I am not talking about the rest of the delegation ). Maybe you shouldn’t judge people without knowing the full story. Everyone is doing their best.
Oh no, this week will be tense not just in terms of finding out who will win. 🙁 I hope it’s everything OK with all of them in the Icelandic delegation. And I believe EBU should cancel or make it online everything that’s not completely necessary (like the turquoise carpet). We need to preserve the artists and the crew to the big shows.
Just remember guys, that because everyone has done a second rehearsal, they will be able to use that for the live shows if they are positive for Corona. So no Australia situation of not being able to use their proper staging on the big stage.
Except Ukraine.
I thought Ukraine’s first rehearsal went quite well, no?
Being a competition, shouldn’t every have to use their live on tape as previously planned? Otherwise people will have an unfair advantage.
Fingers crossed for stay healthy from Iceland!
Ok, but why they were not vaccinated before going to Rotterdam? This may sound stupid, but it’s the only way to overcome this pandemic. And is it too hard to wear a goddam mask? (I saw a lot of videos on instagram from the participants where they do not wear a mask).
Wishing everyone the best and stay safe guys!!
It’s not stupid, it’s a fact. The only delegation that I know is fully vaccinated is Lithuanian.
I think the Serbian delegation is also fully vaccinated. At least the girls are.
The Icelandic delegation was also fully vaccinated
Israeli is fully vaccinated too
Because most countries vaccinate in age groups and wouldnt grant exceptions to anybody
All members of Gagnamagnið arr vaccinated. You can still carry the virus
That’s true, you can still get it. However, it’s not as severe in vaccinated people.
There is a lack of vaccine so at least in Sweden they first give it to the most vulnerable. Old people and people with underlying diseases then going downwards in age, bring vaccine to a young dancer Before someone in such a group is not ok. If they give vaccine to a healthy person before a more vulnerable person that person can catch the disease and in worst case die. In Sweden we have now come down to age group between 50-60 years old. So the Swedish delegation is in most part probably not vaccinated.
UPDATE: Iceland shares hotel with Poland, Malta and Romania – all pulled out from opening ceremony
Malta will miss it too. Positive case in the hotel.
omg romania is also out WTF IS GOING ON
Where did you hear that Romania has pulled out of the opening ceremony?
Malta, Romania, Poland and Iceland are in the same hotel. I think Romania&Malta are pulled out of the ceremony as a precaution measure, but they haven’t been tested positive
who else is in the hotel?
Only Malta, Romania, Poland and Iceland, so I’ve heard
Hopefully. I don’t want to hear any more cases like this.
I’m just confused, why would they use live tapes from before the rehearsals since every country finished their second rehearsals, why not just use them instead?
I think they can choose between their live on tape performance or second rehearsal recording in case they are unable to perform live due to covid-19.
The delegation or Sietse?
It’s up to the delegation to choose either the live-on-tape or second rehearsal footage.
I’m so sad for Iceland 🙁 praying and praying that they can prove clear test results to hopefully perform on stage – remember just like Australia, this is the second time they’ve been ready for Eurovision but this stupid virus has robbed them of the full opportunity 🙁 I really hope nobody else ends up having to miss out! Just feel especially gutted as Iceland is my favourite this year!!
Neither is Romania or Malta now
Oh God .this is getting to be a nightmare for all the competing countries.stay safe everyone.
Someone was a super spreader at the semi 2 rehearsals the other day.
Best wishes to Dadi and the band at this time though, especially his pregnant wife.
Wishing everyone on the Icelandic delegation, the best.
oh no. hope they can perform in the semi
Destiny (Malta) will also not join because someone in her hotel tested positive. It sucks, but every measure in place combatting the spread of Covid is important for the show to continue.
Hope they miss the final too.
Why’s that? Worried they’ll beat your favourite? Grow up.
pathetic troll alert
No, sorry. I just don’t like Iceland’s song, that’s all.
You can dislike the song, but wishing an artist to not reach his dream is mean and naive.
mess
Another eurovision news site reported that the Maltese delegation is also quarantining due to a positive case in their hotel. So it’s three delegations sitting out of the opening ceremony. God, I hope no more cases arise during this week.
Yes, Malta shares the same hotel as Iceland so it is a precautionary measure.
Three delegations are starting to involve a lot of people. Hoping that it stops there. I dare not imagine the disaster scenario, “then, all the contestants who came to Rotterdam are in quarantine, so we will only show you pre-recorded videos”
Jesus, hope none of my favorites will be tested positive..
Lets hope nobody gets tested positive… not “just” your favorites.
hahaha, yes, you are right. I hope no one gets tested positive, but I kind of have the feeling that we will here more positive cases in the next days…
Really unfortunate news 🙁 Hope they are okay to perform. Australia’s decision not to travel when this was a real possibility looks like more of a viable move now at least.
How on earth is this possible??? Ebu said that delegations are on a bubble but apparently people are not following the rules like Tusse which was on the news in Sweden for using a Tinder (!) profile in Rotterdam
Wow I didn’t know you could catch covid from tinder…
you can catch covid by going on dates id*ot, since in his profile he was interested to find someone to show him the city…
Yep and videos of Hurricane from Serbia going to each country’s area in the arena to meet them potentially spreading it.
LOL, Tinder is an app. You can use it to scroll which is what most like Tusse does.
If you use Tinder, doesn’t mean you are going on dates. I sometimes use it out of boredom and just chat with people.
Hotels are useful for quarantining large number of people but not perfect. Air circulation within hotels has caused a number of breaches in Australia. Hotels are not containment facilities.